feet from her.
Tara clawed the water. Several minutes later, her hands touched the rocky bank. She pulled her upper body out of the water, and collapsed.
“You stupid bitch!”
Tara looked up. Donald was limping toward her. She closed her eyes, too tired to keep them open.
“You’re going to pay for this.”
A boot connected with Tara’s shoulder. She tried to raise her arms to protect herself, but the arm her arms wouldn’t function.
Donald kicked her again.
A loud roar filled the air, followed by Donald’s screams.
Tara was too tired to open her eyes.
Donald’s screams abruptly stop.
“Tara, open your eyes.”
Tara thought she heard Jason’s voice. She wasn’t sure if she dreamed it or not. Someone rolled her over, causing her to groan. Curses filled the air.
“Tara, look at me.”
Tara tried opening her eyes. She managed to open one just enough to see Jason staring down at her. “Jason,” she whispered as the darkness claimed her.
* * *
Wake up. Cub is hungry. I am hungry.
Tara mumbled and rolled over.
Feed us or I go and find food. Fresh fish from the river sounds good. We will have a good swim.
Are you trying to make me sick? Tara opened her eyes.
We are hungry. Cube needs food. You need food. Enough sleep .
Tara yawned and stretched. She sat up in bed and looked around the room. She was home in Jason’s bedroom . Is the cub okay?
Cub is hungry.
Tara smiled as she put her hands on her stomach. “So you’re hungry. I’m hungry too.” Tara pushed off the covers and swung her legs out of the bed.
“Don’t you dare get out of that bed.”
Tara looked up to see Jason walking toward her. A woman with gray streaked chestnut hair followed him. “I’m going to the bathroom.”
“Right.” Jason picked Tara up and carried her to the bathroom. He put her down and stepped outside the room. “I’ll be right here.”
Tara rolled her eyes and shook her head. She closed the door.
A few minutes later, she opened the bathroom door. Jason was leaning against the doorframe, blocking her way out. He picked her up and carried her back to the bed. Tara raised an eyebrow at him as he tucked the blanket around her.
“You look a lot better,” said Jason. He brushed the back of his hand against her cheek.
“I feel a lot better, and we’re hungry.”
“Jason, why don’t you go get Tara some of the soup you made.” The older woman put her hand on Jason’s shoulder.
Jason frowned but left the room without an argument.
“Who are you?” asked Tara. She watched the woman.
“I’m Doctor Sally Anderson and I’m Jason’s aunt. You gave him quite a scare.”
“It wasn’t intentional. I had to make sure the cubs were safe. Knowing what I know now about Donald, I would do it again.”
The woman sat down on the edge of the bed next to Tara. “I wouldn’t expect anything less.” She winked at Tara. “Now, let’s take a look at you. I want to make sure you are okay. I’m tired of keeping Jason out of here.”
“I’m fine. How are Ben and Haley?” Tara crossed her arms.
“Stubborn, I see.” Sally smiled. “The bruising is gone. Do you have any pain anywhere?”
“No.”
“Any cramps?”
“No cramps. My bear says the only thing wrong with the cub is she’s hungry. I’m hungry too.”
“Then I don’t think I’m needed here anymore. No more driving vehicles into the river.” Sally got up and left.
Jason came into the room. “Aunty Sally said you’re okay. Are you sure you’re okay?” He sat down next to Tara and balanced a tray of food on his lap.
“I’m fine, and the cub is fine. I’m sorry. I did what I had to do to keep Haley and Ben safe.”
Jason sat the tray on the nightstand. “But he almost killed you.”
“Because I didn’t do what he told me to do, and I fought back because I was determined not to go with him.” Tara touched Jason’s arm.
Tara clawed the water. Several minutes later, her hands touched the rocky bank. She pulled her upper body out of the water, and collapsed.
“You stupid bitch!”
Tara looked up. Donald was limping toward her. She closed her eyes, too tired to keep them open.
“You’re going to pay for this.”
A boot connected with Tara’s shoulder. She tried to raise her arms to protect herself, but the arm her arms wouldn’t function.
Donald kicked her again.
A loud roar filled the air, followed by Donald’s screams.
Tara was too tired to open her eyes.
Donald’s screams abruptly stop.
“Tara, open your eyes.”
Tara thought she heard Jason’s voice. She wasn’t sure if she dreamed it or not. Someone rolled her over, causing her to groan. Curses filled the air.
“Tara, look at me.”
Tara tried opening her eyes. She managed to open one just enough to see Jason staring down at her. “Jason,” she whispered as the darkness claimed her.
* * *
Wake up. Cub is hungry. I am hungry.
Tara mumbled and rolled over.
Feed us or I go and find food. Fresh fish from the river sounds good. We will have a good swim.
Are you trying to make me sick? Tara opened her eyes.
We are hungry. Cube needs food. You need food. Enough sleep .
Tara yawned and stretched. She sat up in bed and looked around the room. She was home in Jason’s bedroom . Is the cub okay?
Cub is hungry.
Tara smiled as she put her hands on her stomach. “So you’re hungry. I’m hungry too.” Tara pushed off the covers and swung her legs out of the bed.
“Don’t you dare get out of that bed.”
Tara looked up to see Jason walking toward her. A woman with gray streaked chestnut hair followed him. “I’m going to the bathroom.”
“Right.” Jason picked Tara up and carried her to the bathroom. He put her down and stepped outside the room. “I’ll be right here.”
Tara rolled her eyes and shook her head. She closed the door.
A few minutes later, she opened the bathroom door. Jason was leaning against the doorframe, blocking her way out. He picked her up and carried her back to the bed. Tara raised an eyebrow at him as he tucked the blanket around her.
“You look a lot better,” said Jason. He brushed the back of his hand against her cheek.
“I feel a lot better, and we’re hungry.”
“Jason, why don’t you go get Tara some of the soup you made.” The older woman put her hand on Jason’s shoulder.
Jason frowned but left the room without an argument.
“Who are you?” asked Tara. She watched the woman.
“I’m Doctor Sally Anderson and I’m Jason’s aunt. You gave him quite a scare.”
“It wasn’t intentional. I had to make sure the cubs were safe. Knowing what I know now about Donald, I would do it again.”
The woman sat down on the edge of the bed next to Tara. “I wouldn’t expect anything less.” She winked at Tara. “Now, let’s take a look at you. I want to make sure you are okay. I’m tired of keeping Jason out of here.”
“I’m fine. How are Ben and Haley?” Tara crossed her arms.
“Stubborn, I see.” Sally smiled. “The bruising is gone. Do you have any pain anywhere?”
“No.”
“Any cramps?”
“No cramps. My bear says the only thing wrong with the cub is she’s hungry. I’m hungry too.”
“Then I don’t think I’m needed here anymore. No more driving vehicles into the river.” Sally got up and left.
Jason came into the room. “Aunty Sally said you’re okay. Are you sure you’re okay?” He sat down next to Tara and balanced a tray of food on his lap.
“I’m fine, and the cub is fine. I’m sorry. I did what I had to do to keep Haley and Ben safe.”
Jason sat the tray on the nightstand. “But he almost killed you.”
“Because I didn’t do what he told me to do, and I fought back because I was determined not to go with him.” Tara touched Jason’s arm.
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